Student perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technology

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dc.contributor.authorArmien, Mogamat Nooren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLe Roux, Kateen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-28T14:02:15Z
dc.date.available2014-10-28T14:02:15Z
dc.date.issued2010en_ZA
dc.descriptionThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education on 20 August 2013, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10288457.2010.10740681.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractDebates on improving performance in science and engineering at higher education institutions have stressed the need for institutions to adopt pedagogic practices appropriate for the setting. In this paper we contribute to this debate by presenting the results of empirical research conducted in a first-year foundation mathematics course for Civil Engineering students at a University of Technology in South Africa. Using the perspective of learning as participation in a community as a theoretical framework, the paper focuses on a particular type of student learning community, that is, small group work for the learning of mathematics. We use individual interviews to investigate students' perspectives on small group work in support of their learning of mathematics at high school and in the foundation mathematics course. The results suggest that students have considerable experience of working in groups inside and outside the classroom at school, and they identify conditions conducive for group work, including having a sense of belonging in a group. They value group work for providing support that may not be provided by the lecturer, for example, by obtaining alternative explanations (often in their home language), sharing ideas on problem solving, and getting immediate feedback. We argue that higher education institutions should draw on students' experience of group work and create the space for this type of student learning community both inside and outside the mathematics classroom. We also use the empirical results to develop the notion of “community” as described in the theoretical perspective of learning.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationArmien, M. N., & Le Roux, K. (2010). Student perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technology. <i>African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8842en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationArmien, Mogamat Noor, and Kate Le Roux "Student perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technology." <i>African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8842en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationArmien, M., Le Roux, K. 2010. Student perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technology. African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1028-8457en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Armien, Mogamat Noor AU - Le Roux, Kate AB - Debates on improving performance in science and engineering at higher education institutions have stressed the need for institutions to adopt pedagogic practices appropriate for the setting. In this paper we contribute to this debate by presenting the results of empirical research conducted in a first-year foundation mathematics course for Civil Engineering students at a University of Technology in South Africa. Using the perspective of learning as participation in a community as a theoretical framework, the paper focuses on a particular type of student learning community, that is, small group work for the learning of mathematics. We use individual interviews to investigate students' perspectives on small group work in support of their learning of mathematics at high school and in the foundation mathematics course. The results suggest that students have considerable experience of working in groups inside and outside the classroom at school, and they identify conditions conducive for group work, including having a sense of belonging in a group. They value group work for providing support that may not be provided by the lecturer, for example, by obtaining alternative explanations (often in their home language), sharing ideas on problem solving, and getting immediate feedback. We argue that higher education institutions should draw on students' experience of group work and create the space for this type of student learning community both inside and outside the mathematics classroom. We also use the empirical results to develop the notion of “community” as described in the theoretical perspective of learning. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education KW - foundation programmes KW - learning as participation in a community KW - mathematics learning KW - small group work LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 SM - 1028-8457 T1 - Student perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technology TI - Student perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technology UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8842 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/8842
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationArmien MN, Le Roux K. Student perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technology. African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8842.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentAcademic Development Programme (ADP)en_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyCentre for Higher Education Developmenten_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceAfrican Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Educationen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10288457.2010.10740681en_ZA
dc.subjectfoundation programmesen_ZA
dc.subjectlearning as participation in a communityen_ZA
dc.subjectmathematics learningen_ZA
dc.subjectsmall group worken_ZA
dc.titleStudent perspectives on group work in support of the learning of mathematics at high school and at a university of technologyen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourcePostprinten_ZA
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